1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an outboard motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a simple type of outboard motors, a bar handle (tiller handle) is fixed to the outboard motor in such a way that the operator manually moves the bar handle to turn the outboard motor such that the boat (hull) is steered in a desired direction. In this type of outboard motors, the bar handle is usually provided with levers which are mechanically connected, via push-pull cables or link mechanisms, to a shift rod that changes the position of clutch and to a throttle valve of an internal combustion engine that changes the throttle opening. With this, the operator changes gear to shift and changes the boat running speed by manipulating corresponding one of levers, while steering the boat by the bar handle.
However, when all of the levers must be operated manually, since the operator tends to have an unpleasant operation “feel” owing to, for instance, heavy load, it has been proposed installing actuators at the outboard motor, while installing devices operable by the operator at the boat and connecting them with the actuators through cables, etc., to power-assist shift and boat running speed regulation, as taught in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. Hei 10 (1998)—184402 and Hei 3 (1991)—000589.
Nevertheless, this add-on system has still disadvantages, most notably, that it takes up a space for the devices at the boat, that it needs work for installing their cables on the boat and that, its structure is complicated and it adds to the number and weight of the components.